Setting mechanism



Mvarch 19, 1940. F. s, DENlsQN 2,193,790

SETTING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 28, 1936 Patented Mar. 19, 1940 UNITED STATES SETTING MECHANISM Frederick S. Denison, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Company, Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Application August 28, 1936, Serial No. 98,325

3 Claims.

This invention relates to' setting mechanism and more particularly to a type of setting mechanism adapted for use with a timed operating device adapted to control other mechanism and 5 hold the same in or out of operation for a predetermined length of time.

One object of this invention is the provision of an improved setting mechanism wherein the length of time for which the associated device is to remain operative or inoperative may be readily determined without the use of mental arithmetic.

An additional object is thel provision of such a mechanism wherein the setting device is operably' associated with the actuating mechanism in such manner that it is controlled thereby during the operation ofthe device.

An additional object is the provision of a setting mechanism including a member having nu-l merals thereon and a. pointer, whereby the juxtaposition of a given numeral to the pointer will indicate the time of day at which the operating mechanism will be deenergized provided a number has been previously juxtaposed to the pointer indicative of the time of day at which the instrument is first adjusted.

An additional object isthe provision of a device including a dial having sequential numerals thereon whereby upon the juxtaposition of the last numeral of the sequence to a pointer, rotation of the dial and operating mechanism juxtaposes a second numeral to the pointer which indicates the number of hours the device will remain in operation.

A further object is the provision of such a mechanism which will be readily understandable, simple in operation, and economical and durable in construction.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts and features of construction all as will be more fully described hereinafter and shown in the accompanying drawing and the scope of the application of which will b e indicated by the appended claims.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing wherein is shown one of the variouspossible embodiments of this invention:

Figure 1 is a front'gelevational view of a device embodying the instant invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged side sectional elevational view taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1 as viewed from the left, certain of the parts bei ing shown in a different position of adjustment; Figure 3 is a side sectional view taken along the line 3--3 of Figure 2 as viewed from the right, certain parts being omitted, and

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of certain of the elements shown in Figures 1 and 2. Similar reference characters denote similar parts throughout the several views of the draw- 1ng. v

A base plate I0, shown in Figures 1 and 2, is adapted for mounting on any suitable surface, such as a wall, and has secured thereto, in any suitable manner, a casing II. Casing II is provided with an aperture I2 which may be circular in form to permit the passage of certain elements to be hereinafter described therethrough. A second aperture I3 is also formed in casing II and has positioned therein a pointer I4, the purpose of which will be more fully pointed out hereinafter. Suitably secured to base plate I is a casing I5 which contains a clockworks which may be of any suitable form but which is preferably of the type disclosed in the copending application of Andrew G. McNicoll, Serial No. 98,288, filed of even date herewith entitled Starting mechanism. The clockworks drives a sleeve IE mounted for rotation on a suitable pin I'I. lSecured to sleeve I6 is a collar I8 which is held against rotation thereabout as by means of a attened portion I9. A set screw 20 serves to hold collar I8 against linear displacement. A cam-like disc 2I is secured in any desired manner to collar I8 for rotation therewith. Disc 2I has a cut-away portion 22, as better shown in dotted lines in Figure l, adapted to be engaged under certain circumstances to be hereinafter described by an inwardly turned projection 23a carried by a bell crank lever 23, which latter is in turn pivoted upon a post 24. A spring 25 serves normally to bias projection 23a against disc 2I. The opposite end of bell crank member 23 has secured thereto an insulating block 26 positioned for engagement with the distal end of a bimetallic strip 2l which carries a contact 28. Contact 28 is adapted to engage' a Contact screw 29 carried by a bracket 30 secured, as by a screw 3|, to an insulating block 32 carried in turn by base plate Ill. The proximal end of bimetallic member 21 which-is substantially U- shaped is secured as best shown in Figure 2 to an insulating block 33, as by screws 34. Block 33 is secured to a member 34a, which in turn is pivotally mounted for rotation about a mounting post 35. Adjusting means of any suitable type but which may well be of the type shown in the co-pending application of Carl G. Kronmiller, Serial No. 98,326, filed of even date herewith, entitled Thermostat, are provided in order that the temperature value which will cause contact 28 to engage contact screw 29 may be varied. Such means may include an adjusting wheel 36 calibrated to designate the temperature to which the mechanism will respond.

Thus from the foregoing, it will now appear that when insulating block 26 is out of engagement with bimetallic strip 21, contact 28 is free to engage with or separate from contact screw 29 in accordance with temperature variations as controlled by the relative flexing of bimetallc strip 21. Such engagement or disengagement causes the closure and opening of a circuit for any desired purpose but which may be readily adapted for the control of a heating system, all as are more fully set forth in the above mentioned Kronmiller application. However, when contact 28 is positively held in engagement. with contact screw 29 by insulating block- 26, the circuit is maintained continuously closed whereby fluctuations in temperature have no effect on the relationship of the contacts above mentioned. In the illustrative embodiment of the invention herein shown and described, the arrangement is such thatI such engagement of contact 28 with contact screw 29 occasioned by the pressure of insulating block 26 takes place during that period when the timed operating mechanism contained in casing I is inoperative. However, it will be readily understood that if desired the reverse arrangement maybe effected whereby contact 28 will be held positively out of engagement with contact screw 29 during the operative period of the clock mechanism.

Means now to be described are provided for the proper positioning of cam-like disc 2| in order that the cut-away portion 22 thereof may be positioned in such manner that it may align itself with projection 23a of bell crank lever 23 after a predetermined time interval. Sleeve I8 is provided with an annular ridge 40 against which rests a spring collar 4I adapted to abut the inner surface of a dial 42. The outer surface of the dial 42 engages the inner surface of a knob generally designated at 45. Dial 42 bears upon its surface a series of numerals which in the illustrative embodiment herein shown range from 1 to 12 and correspond to the hours of the day. The arrangement is such that one of these numerals is designed to be exposed through aperture I3 adjacent pointer I4 and as the dial is rotated in a manner and for a purpose to be hereinafter described. A pair of slots 43 are provided in dial 42 and engage depending lugs 44 carried by the knob generally indicated at 45 which comprises a sleeve 46 adapted to extend through aperture I2, an annular rim 41 provided with peripheral serrations 48 and an upper circular portion 49 having a bearing surface 50. Sleeve I6 is pro- From the foregoing, it will be seen that rotation of knob 45' by serrations 48 causes rotation of dial 42 independently of sleeve I6 and/or operating handle 55, since the strength of the driving connection provided by spring disc 4I is insufcient to occasion rotation of handle 55 through disc 51and since otherwise dial 42 is free to rotate about sleeve I6. Conversely, however, it will be seen that the friction occasioned by spring disc 4I is sufcient to insure movement of dial 42 ,when handle 55 is rotated either manually or by means of the clock mechanism contained within casing I5. The arrangement of the device is such that rotation of handle 55 tensions a suitable main spring (not shown) contained in the clockworks to drive the clockworks and hence sleeve I6 for a predetermined period of time.

Stop means (not shown) are also provided to sequently rotated, a second number is then positioned adjacent pointer I4. Thus, if the first number corresponds to the time of day, the second number indicates the time of day at which the operating period of the device will terminate. or if the number originally adjacent pointer I4 is l2 or the last number in the series about the pe-v riphery of dial 42, the number adjacent pointer I4 after rotation of handle 55-indicates the number of hours the device is to operate.

Thus, it will be seen, that if the resident of the dwelling or other place where the device is situated desires that the circuit controlled. by the device be placed under the control .of the temperature adjacent the device for a period of 4 hours, illustratively, he need only turn dial 42 by means of knob 45 until the numeral I2 is adjacent pointer I4 and then rotate handle 55 until the numeral 4 is adjacent pointer I4 whereupon the device will run for 4 hours. If, however, the time of day is, say, two oclock and the operator desires that the mechanism operate until live oclock, he need only rotate dial 42 by knob 45 until the number 2 is adjacent pointer I4 and then rotate handle 55 and hence dial 42 until the number' 5 is adjacent pointer I4, in which case the operating mechanism will operate until five o'clock, at which time the latch means comprisedof insulating block 26 will be actuated in the manner above described to hold contact 28 in positive engagement with contact screw 29 until suchV become inoperative at seven oclock. After a substantially complete operating period o-f the device, or a full rotation of disc 2|, which in the i1- lustrative embodiment shown is .approximately 11 hours, during which time the clockworks will have caused disc 2I, dial 42, and handle 55 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Thus, the only operations necessary to a proper setting of the mechanism comprises rotating dial 42 by knob l5 until a number indicative of the time of day, or the last number of the series is adjacent pointer i4, and subsequently rotating handle 55 until a second number, which may indicate either the time of day at which it is desired the operating period shall terminate or the number of hours, if the numeral I2hasbeenjuxtaposed to pointer I4, it is desired that the device be operative, thus obviating the necessity of any mental arithmetic or calculation of any sort. When such operations have been performed, the clock mechanism will rotate the parts until the device becomes inoperative at the predetermined time in the manner above described.

Thus, from the foregoing, it will be seen that there is herein provided a device which accomplishes the objects of this invention in a satisfactory and reliable manner and includes many advantages of great practical importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this invention and as many modiiications may be made in the embodiment hereinbeiore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is merely illustrative and to be. limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described comprising in combination, a casing, a rst aperture in said casing, a spring wound clockworks in said casing, rotatable means extending through said aperture for winding said clockworks, a control device rotated by said rotatable means and `fixed with respect thereto, indicating means frlctionally mounted on said rotatable means inside said casing, said indicating means being free to rotate with said rotatable means at all times, a second aperture in said casing whereby a portion of said indicating means is visible from outside said casing, means outside said casing for rotating said rotatable means and hence said indicatin means, and means for rotating said indicating means relatively to said control device.

2. In a device of the class described comprising in combination, a casing, a first aperture in said casing, a spring wound clockworks in said casing, rotatable means extending through said aperture for winding said clockworks, a control device rotated by said rotatable means and iixed with respect thereto, indicating means frictionally mounted on said rotatable means inside said casing, said indicating means being free to rotate with said rotatable means atall times, a second aperture in said casing whereby a portion of said indicating means is visible from outside said casing, means outside said casing for rotating said rotatable means and hence said indicating means,

and means for rotating said indicating means relatively to said control device, said last mentioned means comprising a knob outside said casing and mounted concentrically with respect to said rotatable means, said knob having means operatively connecting it to said indicating means.'

`3. In a device of the class described comprising in combination, a casing, a lrst aperture in said casing,- a spring wound clockworks .in said masing, rotatable means extending through said aperture for winding said clockworks, a control with respect thereto, indicating means frictionally mounted on said rotatable means inside said casing, said indicating means being free to rotate with said rotatable means at all times, indicating numerals from 1 to 12 equi-spaced about the periphery of said indicating means, a second aperture in said casing through which at least one of said numerals is always visible, means outside said casing for rotating said indicating means relatively to said control device to indicate the time of day at which the setting action is taking place, and means outside said casing for winding said clockworks by rotating said rotatable means and hence said indicating means until said indicating means indicates thetime at which it is desired that the clockworks cease its operation.

FREDERICK S. DENISON.

, device rotated by said rotatable means and fixed i 

